Library
by Tobi Katsura
Summary: Months had passed since the fall of Cardes, yet everyone knew that the war was far from over. Loch, feeling that physical training wasn't enough, resorted to books to gain knowledge passed down by masters of both archery and the tactical arts. If not training out in the field or making his rounds around Palmyna, Edea would sometimes find Loch in the royal archives, such as today.


The addicting smell of unturned parchment wafted about. It was a scent that Loch had become accustomed to these past few months. "War: A Perspective Look into the Art by Tzun Zhi," was printed on the cover of the book that he had just pulled from the shelf. The spine and hardbound finish was characteristic of Krung-go culture.

Loch sighed a bit as he looked out the window. Several months had passed since that day, when Cardes, of the Divine Ten, had fallen. It was a victory, a debt repaid to those who had lost their lives, yet Loch and his comrades knew that the war was far from over. Throughout Grand Gaia, battles were still being fought between the humans and the gods.

Before long, Cardes' disciple, Zebra, reared his head once more, intending to make a bloodbath of the people of Palmyna as "penance" for defeating his master. With the people's combined efforts, Zebra's army was driven away…

"… But still… If I truly want to protect this kingdom… To protect her…" His eyes turned back to the book in his hands. Several people, including Master Lorand, had already come up to him, commenting on his hidden potential as a tactician. He smiled a bit as he remembered Dean's quip, jokingly saying that the bowman was too much of a hot-head to be a tactician. Of course, he's only like that whenever Dean was around, but yeah.

"Know the enemy…" Loch quickly skimmed through the pages. "… Retreat is not a coward's way out…" He stopped at a page that had piqued his interest. "… Listen well to those around you. Take in your surroundings. Understand the various facets of the situation, and-"

"There you are, Loch." Sitting herself at a nearby table, Edea greeted Loch with a warm smile. She then noticed the slightly surprised look on his face. With eyes wide and cheeks red, she tried to apologize. "Oh! I'm really sorry! Did I disturb you?"

Regaining his composure, Loch smiled a bit. He couldn't help but to silently admit to himself that the princess' look of concern made her look rather adorable. With book in hand, he walked up to the table to join her, giving her a reassuring smile as he sat. "It's alright. I just started with this new book. Looks like you've just got out of training."

Anyone could see how worn out Edea looked. Aside from the beads of sweat that ran down her skin, her ruffled, pink bangs, and her tendency to try to catch her breath from time to time, she was still in her training armor, minus the helmet. Still, Edea, being herself, managed to smile. "Yeah, the lead knights really put us through our paces today." With a wide grin, she then raised two thumbs up. "At least I did well in sparring, today."

Loch laughed a bit. " _She_ would be happy to hear that."

"Yeah, _she_ would." Edea closed her eyes. "Lafdranya used up all of her power to protect us all. When she wakes up, I want to show her how much I've grown. I want her to know that she can rely on me, just as I've always relied on her."

Loch took both of her hands. The two offered a few moments of silence for their _fifth comrade_.

"Everything will be alright."

"With you as one of the kingdom's tacticians, everything will be fine." Edea laughed a bit.

"It's only been a few months, _Your Highness_."

"The Defense of Obselion. The Battle of Dejour. You've had a hand in helping our army claim these victories." This time, it was Edea who took his hands. Her crimson eyes locked on with his. "You have a hidden talent for this."

"Edea…"

A cheeky grin suddenly appeared on her face. "If you screw up, at least I got your back."

Smiling a bit, Loch sighed. "And I'll always have yours," he said as he pretended to ready an arrow.

Edea laughed a bit. "You should save that line for the ladies."

"Huh?"

"Up and coming tactician, great with a bow, and quite handsome, to boot. No wonder you've caught the eyes of so many women in the kingdom."

Surprised and confused, Loch pointed to himself. "M-me? S-since w-when?"

"You never noticed?"

Loch shook his head. Of course, he wouldn't have noticed. The woman who had already captured his heart was currently sitting right in front of him.

"Sounds like you are married to your work," Edea jokingly suggested as she held up Loch's book.

"Edea," Loch laughed.

Edea sighed. "You're lucky, though."

"Huh?"

The smile on her face faded a bit. "You get to choose. I am not granted such luxury."

Loch took her hands. When Edea looked at him, he nodded.

"Do you know what it means to be a king?"

"What it means to be… A king?"

"A king is one who leads his people in order to serve them. A king is like a shepherd who guides his flock. The fate of the sheep depends on the shepherd they follow."

Getting up from his seat, Loch moved to sit beside the young woman. He took her hands again, resting them upon his lap.

"Whoever you choose will only affect your life and hers." Edea closed her eyes. Her face was somber. "Whoever _I_ choose will affect not only I, but also the kingdom as a whole."

"Edea…"

"Given our present situation, neighboring kingdoms had come to form alliances with us. These alliances were being proposed under the pretense of increasing our strength against the Gods Army; however, there has been talk of having me be wed to the prince of one of the neighboring kingdoms once the war is over."

Loch said not a word.

Edea blankly stared at the ceiling. "Let's say that I go through with the marriage. I might be asked to leave Palmyna and move in with the prince. I am the only child of the royal family. Without an heir to take the throne, the prince's kingdom might send a vassal to lord over the land. Or worse, the branch families might fight over it."

Loch knew full well how much Edea held the kingdom, its people, close to her heart. She found happiness in returning the kindness the people had given to her. If she didn't, then she wouldn't have taken Lafdranya in the first place. Loch had to admit that it contributed to her self-sacrificing tendencies…

Edea continued, "Let's say the prince I wed isn't a crown prince, allowing me to live in Palmyna. The responsibility then falls to me. If I choose the wrong man, the kingdom will pay dearly."

Loch could feel her hands tremble.

Edea continued, "I could just forget about it all. I could just reject all the suitors." Her voice cracked slightly. "I could rule on my own, or I could choose a man from our own kingdom, someone who has grown up with Palmyna. But then…" She paused. She tried to hold them back. "But then…" A scene flooded into her mind…

 _She stood upon the balcony. Wordless. Her ears flooding with the cries of pain all throughout, she could do nothing but watch as her kingdom was being engulfed in smoldering flames. Foreign banners waved on as the flames howled. They reaped. They tore…_

… _All because she turned her back…_

… _All because she refused them all…_

 _Her knees felt weak. She could not hold them back anymore._

 _Her people…_

… _She had failed them…_

… _All for a selfish choice…_

Edea hung her head, resting her forehead upon the tabletop. Her weeps were muffled, but her tears flowed. "I d-don't w-want this… I-I d-don't want, b-but…"

Loch stayed silent as he wrapped his arms around Edea, supporting her body as she wept. He rested his head upon hers. Gently, he whispered, "Cry. Let it all out. I'm here."

Edea looked up. The eyes that met her were full of lament. "I'm scared, Loch… I'm scared…"

He wrapped her arms around her. A light whimper reached her ears as he pulled her into a tight embrace.

Edea whispered into his ear, "Stay with me, Loch…"

"Till death do we part …"

And so, the two stayed in the royal library together. Loch promised Edea that he would use his bow to pierce the sky so that a ray of hope will shine upon her and the kingdom. As he and their comrades had promised her on that fateful day, he promised her that she could always rely on him, on everyone.

Long ago, through her kind heart, Loch was given a second chance in life. Thus, he promised himself to return her kindness tenfold.

He will be by her side in the good times and the bad…

In sickness and in health…

He will be her hope…

As she had been to him…

* * *

A/N:

This story assumes you've played though the Golden Ending of the Palmyna GQ, where Loch, Dean, and Lorand convince Edea to not sacrifice herself to seal away Cardes. Instead, they come together to destroy him once and for all.

The whole "Tactician Loch" aspect was inspired by one scene in the GQ. On his way to rescue Edea, he makes a stop-over at Obselion Castle, where he finds some troops who survived the previous battle. They looked to him as a leader in the absence of Edea or Lorand. He commanded them to head to the Noera Battleground to act as a diversion while he infiltrates Cardes' domain. Loch was concerned whether he had made the right decision, but that decision of his had paved the way for the golden ending.

I wanted Loch and Edea's interactions to feel... Natural? Like even though we know Loch has the hots for Edea, we also know that they, along with Dean and Lorand, have been through a lot together. They've already formed a bond. It hasn't evolved into something more intimate yet, but the two should already be close enough to be able to talk to each other anything, ranging from casual banter to more personal thoughts.

... The part where Edea shared with Loch about what was troubling her... I thought of a certain couple who are dating in real life (technically, it's an LDR, but you get the idea). When one would feel sad or angry, the other one would be a listening ear, letting their partner vent. I imagine the boy cradling his love in his arms, letting her rest against his warm body, listening to her as she poured out whatever was in her heart.

... That was the kind of feeling I wanted to convey... To invoke...

I wrote this for a contest recently held in Gumi's Brave Frontier community forum. I had two ideas that had been floating around my head for quite some time now; namely, this and a Selena x Lucina one that takes place during a royal ball. I ended up with the Loch x Edea one because the idea for this one felt more fleshed-out. I didn't win, but the free Artons were nice.


End file.
